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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22514113">this time was theirs</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/afluffykiwi/pseuds/afluffykiwi'>afluffykiwi</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Power Rangers Ninja Storm</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, Post-Series, lots of hand holding, talking about feelings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 10:00:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,218</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22514113</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/afluffykiwi/pseuds/afluffykiwi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>after lothor's defeat, tori struggles with how the loss of the ranger powers is changing everything.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Blake Bradley/Tori Hanson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Ranger Romance Ficathon 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>this time was theirs</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rivulet027/gifts">Rivulet027</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>yeah this is my first time writing for power rangers &amp; for ninja storm; my apologies if tori &amp; blake are ooc, i did my best!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The scent of saltwater and seaweed filled Tori’s nose with each deep inhale she took through her nose. <em> In and out </em>. A cycle that synced up with the cresting of waves upon the beach. There was nothing else besides this, the waves and her breath. Not at this time of day. When she’d settled down on a beach towel to partake in this mundane ritual, the sun hadn’t officially risen yet though the sky had gotten lighter in anticipation.</p><p>There must have been other people on the beach by now who wanted to watch the sunrise. But there was unspoken pact amongst everyone here, now, not to disturb the peace that permeated this space.</p><p>Tori rolled her shoulders, settling once more.</p><p><em> In and out </em>. </p><p>The shifting of the sand just beside her broke Tori from her thoughts and she quickly glanced to the side. She sighed, smiling when she recognized that it was indeed a who beside her, and one she recognized. </p><p>Blake shifted for a moment, making himself comfortable, before turning back to her.</p><p>He returned her smile. “Hey.”</p><p>“Blake,” She brought her knees up to her chest. “When did you get back?”</p><p>As much as she wanted to pull him into a hug or take his hand or something silly like that, she held back. It was a strange feeling. She’d known he’d be coming and going with his budding motocross career and she’d thought she’d be fine with it. And she was. Really, she was.</p><p>What was her problem?</p><p>Blake tipped his head, quirking his brow. “What’s wrong?”</p><p>Tori didn’t give him enough credit. Glancing away, she tucked a lock of blonde hair behind her ear. </p><p>She laughed, kind of, and shrugged. “Nothing. It’s early. I’m tired.”</p><p>“C’mon, Tori,” He rocked, bumping shoulders with her. “I don’t buy it. Talk to me.”</p><p>“It’s nothing. Really.” She stood, dusting sand off her butt, before turning to hold her hands out to him. “Let’s get breakfast. Before everything gets crowded.”</p><p>He held her gaze long enough to get her to squirm before taking her hands. She pulled him to his feet and he stumbled into her personal space. Tori’s breath caught. They stood there for a moment too long, before Tori rolled her eyes and stepped back.</p><p>“Do you want to go or not?”</p><p>“Of course. I’m starving.” He groaned, lacing his fingers with hers.</p><p>Lightning raced through her veins. Her heart beat a little quicker and she smiled.</p><p> </p><p>The little smoothie bar near the beach was thankfully early to open. Reggae played through the speaker system at a low volume, instilling the mostly empty building with a chill atmosphere. There were only three other customers inside and none of them paid the former Rangers any attention.</p><p>Tori picked out a corner table with a window while Blake waited for their drinks. From up close and from across a room, he didn’t look much different than when she last saw him. He was always fit but not overly so. Maybe he’d lost some of his strength since they weren’t fighting monsters constantly. His hair was a little longer. </p><p>Neither of them had changed much, on the outside at least. It was the inner changes that made her nervous. What if they wouldn’t work now that their lives were taking different paths? They hadn’t even gotten to try.</p><p>Resting her cheek onto her rough palm, Tori looked out the window to the water. A croissant sat on a plate in front of her, half-picked to pieces while she was lost in thought. She stuck a piece to her tongue, letting it dissolve there. </p><p>As stressful as saving the world was, at least it was a simpler worry than relationships. If she didn’t want to think about her and Blake, all she had to do was think about Lothor. Ew.</p><p>She turned her head to offer Blake another smile as he set their smoothies down.</p><p>He didn’t return it. “Seriously, Tori, you look like someone kicked your puppy. Just talk to me.”</p><p>Tori rolled her eyes. “I’m fine, Blake. Are you gonna be a mother-hen the entire time you’re back?”</p><p>He took her hand and her cheeks warmed. </p><p>“Until you talk to me, I will be.” He leaned forward. “I know I feel weird being back.”</p><p>“You do?”</p><p>Blake nodded. “I keep forgetting it’s over. Once I got into town, I was expecting to get jumped by Kelzaks.” He laughed and shook his head. “It was kind of a let down when I wasn’t.”</p><p>“That’s weird.” She squeezed his hand. “But I know what you mean.”</p><p>There was a moment of contemplative silence. Blake sipped on his drink and Tori nibbled at her croissant, trading quick glances between each other. </p><p>“That’s not what’s bothering me now.” Tori leaned back in her seat, hand slipping free from Blake’s. She should get this over with. </p><p>Blake looked at his now-empty hand for a long moment before he looked at her. </p><p>Tori shrugged. “It’s us.”</p><p>“Us?” Blake frowned. “What about us?”</p><p>“What if we won’t work now, because we aren’t… ?” She didn’t want to say it, out of habit and out of the hurt of admitting it. “You’ve been gone. What if we don’t like who we’ve become?”</p><p>“It hasn’t been that long, Tori,” Blake let out a quick, incredulous laugh. “We haven’t changed that much.”</p><p>“But it feels like I’ve changed.”</p><p>“You haven’t, not in the ways that matter.” Blake’s cheeks went red, making Tori’s heart stutter. “I can tell. The things I liked about you before? All still there.”</p><p>She bit her lip, glancing out the window. The tight ball of tension that lodged near her heart eased a bit at that. </p><p>“Same with you.” She took his hand again and he smiled. “I’m glad you’re here.”</p><p>“I’m glad I’m here, too.” </p><p>With that out of the way, they spent the rest of the meal chatting about mundane things. Tori’s new students, Blake’s experiences traveling, how the others’ have been doing. When it was over they went back to the beach, the rising sun warming the air considerably. There were more people there now, but it felt like the right place to be. The water was her’s after all, and they’d had so many experiences at the beach that it felt like theirs’ too. </p><p>“Hey.” Tori said after they’d walked around the sand for a while.</p><p>“Yeah?” Blake turned.</p><p>As he did she cupped his cheeks and pulled him into a kiss. He tasted like the mango-banana smoothie he’d had, which she only learned because he deepened the kiss almost as soon as it had started. His hands went to her waist, pulling her in closer. </p><p>Wow. Yeah. Wow. </p><p>She pulled back, a wide grin on her face as she pressed her forehead to his.</p><p>“And you were worried that we wouldn’t work.” He snorted.</p><p>“Shut up.” She shoved him back with yet another roll of the eyes.</p><p>He pressed a hand to his heart as he stumbled back, an overdramatic groan leaving his lips before he returned to her side, taking her hand in his yet again.</p><p>Eventually, they would have to go see Dustin and Shane and Cam, because Dustin would make a big deal out of it if they didn’t. But until then, this time was theirs’. </p>
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